Battery Expert Witnesses Comment on Electronic Cigarette Explosion

Case Overview

This case involves a woman who was carrying an e-cigarette that was operated by two lithium ion batteries, which underwent an explosive failure while in close contact with the Plaintiff’s leg. The cigarette, manufactured by a popular maker of electronic cigarettes and accessories, had been purchased by the Plaintiff from a specialty vaporizer shop a few weeks before the incident in question. While the Plaintiff was carrying the cigarette on her walk to work, the batteries exploded in her pocket, causing severe burns to her leg. It is alleged that the batteries and/or the electronic cigarette was defectively designed and manufactured, and that the Plaintiff was not warned of the risk of battery explosions.

Questions to the Electrical expert and their responses

Do you have knowledge about e-cigarettes and lithium ion batteries in specific regards to e-cigarettes?

I have over twenty years of experience in lithium ion batteries, ranging from R&D to production, to supply chain management and production process quality. I have conducted numerous failure analyses involving lithium-ion battery fires. I have also visited many lithium ion production factories that make lithium ion cells for e-Cigarettes. The batteries are frequently improperly designed by cramming too much energy into the batteries or devices. They cannot handle the current causing 'thermal runaway' which results in a battery meltdown or explosion.

Please explain your experience in the industry.

About the expert

This expert has over 25 years of experience Li-ion Battery space involving, R&D, Production Process Quality, Supplier development, Failure Analysis of Li-ion batteries, Battery testing, Safety Analysis, Supply chain, etc. He has expertise in battery technology, including battery production processes and quality. He specializes in rechargeable battery technologies including Li-ion, Ni-MH, and Ni-CD battery chemistries. His expertise includes R&D, production process development, factory audits, battery safety, and failure analysis of rechargeable batteries. He has 14 issued US patents, has one newly filed patent application, and has presented many technical papers. He has also developed supercapacitor (electrochemical capacitors) technologies and invented new materials and battery-capacitor hybrids for high power pulse applications.

E-042632

Specialties:

Electrical